I Struggle With Some Ball Brands

I really like Wilson US Open balls, and Dunlop A player balls, but I can't stand balls such as regular Dunlops, and Propenn Marathon. Those balls seem to fly and bounce extra high.

I am 16 years old and I play high level USTA usually. Last few tournaments with us opens I played outstanding, and won a level 3 and got to the finals of the other. Just last weekend they were using Propenn balls, I practiced with them the week before to prepare for the tournament.

In the tournament I won my first two rounds but struggled with kids I would usually kill! In the backdraw I lost to a kid who really is not very good. I feel like I struggle with these balls more than other kids, I play like a completely different person, not swinging out on the ball, and being tentative just so the ball won't fly out on me.

If you're playing at a strong level the balls used can definetly change how the match is played. The US open balls are fairly light and have extra felt which fluffs up after a few games. In turn they end up playing slower and you are going to get a few more looks from the baseline and on return. Those US Open really do slow down after a few service games. It's not in your head, some balls play fast and others slow. You just have to learn how to adjust your game to different conditions. You're young and will figure it out. When playing with quick balls or in quicker conditions you might want to play a little more aggressive as you might not be able to defend the way you normally do. Start buying cans of the balls you most dislike so that you can get some practice and get over the mental hurdle.